Industrial design was revolutionized with print 3D technology. Everything from a computer mouse to a mountain bike has been excellently shaped by using 3D. This technology has been responsible for the advanced contours, lines and dynamics of new production.
Rapid Prototyping Technology
Before the advent of 3D printing, prototypes had to be painstakingly crafted by master craftsmen in a large workshop using specialised tools. A perfectly proportioned wooden prototype generally required several days to complete even with the employment of highly skilled and proficient labour. There were significant delays between the design stages of a project to the prototype stage. Finalised drawings took ages to be translated to a workable model as the illustrations had to be carefully followed to avoid error.
Rapid prototyping developed from a need to produce the physical model in a shorter time span at much less cost. You can now use this technology to print 3D models on your printer with a high attention to detail and accuracy. Consecutive layers are printed to previous ones to build up an image that can be used for traditional wax or high tech epoxy moulding.
Self-Replicating Printers
The “self-replicating rapid prototype” or RepRap that is currently in the pipeline will allow you to create unique and novel ideas that are functional in a short space of time. Three-dimensional objects could even be printed at home with the anticipated reduced price of RepRap compared to conventional 3D printers. Rapid prototyping would be taken to a new level as medical equipment manufacturers, industrial or jewellery designers and automotive engineers can create complex products and artefacts without the need for costly industrial infrastructure. The common speculation is that, with the technology to make another version of the original, you can quickly construct spare parts and defective components with low-level resources. The ideal envisaged is a future where you could design and manufacture your own mechanical device in the comfort of your home.
Cost Effective 3D Printing
If you’re a small or medium sized company, you can now print models of your products that very closely resemble and feel like an actual prototype. The price of 3D printers has become much more affordable of late. Instead of outsourcing your requirements to large industrial concerns, you can greatly reduce the associated costs by printing the parts in-house. You can make models of objects with different physical properties having vastly contrasting mechanical components in a single process of building. You don’t need to assemble several distinct parts separately and then combine them into the final product. Your finished prototype will be an almost perfect match of the target design.
You can easily print 3D artistic and imaginative models of geckos and gargoyles with your printer. Precious and delicate design for jewellery to cultural heritage artefacts can be replicated with the latest technology in 3D printing. With RepRap fully functional, you may even be able to create an automotive spare part for your car in your home and skip a visit to the auto repair shop.
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